1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved continuous frying apparatus with a hot cooking oil bath for producing batter-coated, frozen food products having a ridged batter topography. More particularly, the subject invention relates to an infeed, conveyor belt arrangement in a continuous fryer for preparing partially-fried, batter-coated, frozen comestible products which after oven reconstitution are organoleptically similar or superior, in texture and appearance, to fat-fried, batter-coated comestible products.
For purposes of the present application, the term "fat-fried" refers to french-fried, deep fat-fried or pan-fried products. The term "battered" refers to batter-coated, e.g., a fluid coating of a flour-based mixture applied to enhance the taste and attractiveness of fat-fried foods.
The present invention is particularly described with respect to frozen fish products, such as fish portions, filets or sticks, but it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the teachings herein have other applications; for instance, to the preparation of partially-fried frozen meat, poultry and vegetable products which are oven reconstitutable to resemble fat-fried products.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many different types of arrangements are known in the prior art to process comestible products in a hot cooking oil bath, including, for example, those disclosed by McBeth U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,163; Smith et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,614; Marmor U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,202; and Westover et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,771.
McBeth (U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,163) describes a food cooking apparatus having a receptacle for cooking oil and foodstuffs heated by a plurality of heat tubes and a baffle means for preventing food fragments and other sediments from settling on the heat tubes. An endless conveyor belt transports the foodstuffs through the cooking oil at variable speeds.
Smith et al (U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,614) describe the use of spaced heating zones to eject heated fluid onto a food product being moved at a controlled rate along a trough containing a heated, circulating liquid to permit control of temperature and heat transfer during a continuous cooking process.
Marmor (U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,202) describes a deep fat fryer designed to remove fat degradation products. FIG. 1 shows a two-part conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced carrier lugs.
Each of the above patents discloses arrangements requiring the initial and complete submersion of a food product in a hot oil bath. No mention is made of the usefulness of forming a ridged batter topography.
Westover et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,771) describe a frying apparatus which includes a fat holding tank and a transfer conveyor such that the product expands or bulges up into openings in the conveyor belt, thereby securely engaging the food product and transporting it through the fat. It is noted that an irregularly shaped surface is formed using the disclosed frying apparatus.
In a 1978 trade publication, "MMF Fish and Chip Battered Fish," Modern Maid Food Products, Inc. describes the use of a continuous fryer that is specially designed for frying battered products. The publication teaches that the formation of ridges will vary depending on the type of drop plate used in the processor's continuous fryer.
It would be desirable to have a continuous fryer which consistently and expeditiously prepares partially-fried, batter-coated, frozen comestible products having a ridged batter topography such that after oven reconstitution, the food products are organoleptically similar or superior, in texture and appearance, to batter-coated, fat-fried comestible products.